The Night is Long in Natib

‘Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.’

If the hassle that happened on our way to Mount Natib in Orani, Bataan foretold of the things to come, we did not see it coming. Our van broke down a few kilometers away from our destination. And even before that, our van lost its way from the San Fernando exit of the North Luzon Expressway. A considerable amount of our time was lost due to these unexpected circumstances. Later on, we realized the consequences of the preceding events. Our dayhike to Mount Natib (with a side trip to Pasukulan Falls) became my longest dayhike ever. We started at 8 am in the morning and ended at 10 pm in the evening. That was almost twelve hours of trekking. To say that it was exhausting would be an understatement. The trek almost made me give up and I barely made it back to the jump-off point.

It was a boring early Sunday morning as we waited for the private vehicle carrying members of our hiking group inside a fast food restaurant along the Olongapo-Gapan road. I was with two companions and we were supposed to be picked up by our group on their way to Orani, Bataan. It turned out that the driver missed the San Fernando exit and had to look for the next toll gate exit then make a u-turn back to San Fernando. It was already late when they arrived and we hurriedly boarded the van.

The journey to Orani resumed. But after about an hour, we stopped abruptly. The driver drove the van to the side of the road and informed us that the vehicle broke down. It seemed that it was just a few kilometers away from the jump-off point. Meanwhile, the other van proceeded with the journey. We were left with no other option but to wait at the side of the road. We ended up welcoming sunrise in Bataan’s national highway that Sunday morning.

After the first van unloaded the first batch of the passenger (other members of our group) in Barangay Tala, the driver came back to get us. It took only a few minutes before we reached the jump-off point. The van unloaded us in the aforesaid Barangay where the registration site was located. We immediately made the necessary preparations, including registration and the assignment of our guides.

The trek started a few minutes later, on a paved road going up until we reached its end. The trek then continued on a rough road which was observably spacious (spacious to the extent that a vehicle would have been able to pass without any problems). The environment was comprised of open grasslands and light woodlands. After about an hour, we reached Pinagbutasan. Upon reaching it, a two-storey structure welcomed us which served as a view deck. We made our first stop over there for a photo-op. From that point, you can see the lush Bataan mountain ranges, including Natib itself. We continued with our trek soon after.

The trail remained wide as we went on with the trek. The path was rocky and there was a part in the trail wherein we needed to make our way through fields of Cogon grass. Caution was to be exercised because it was possible to get bruises from the sharp leaves of this perennial plant.

The trail remained flat until we reached the base camp which lies at the foot of Natib. We made another stop there. After consuming some snacks and water, we proceeded with the trek. A few minutes later, we began the upward assault to the summit. The real challenge started here. The trail was steep, rocky, and it was inhabited, as I expected, by the Limatiks (Blood Leeches).

The assault was manageable despite of my initial fear of how hard it would be. I found the rappelling part interesting but also tricky if you weren’t paying that much attention. It was my first time doing this and I enjoyed it a lot. The absence of the Limatiks also added to my delight. The five rope segments continued until finally reaching the summit.

The summit was marked by a DENR signpost and was covered with vegetation. We decided to eat lunch there then we did a group photo shoot. After that, we looked around the area of the summit to find scenic spots. Since the summit was covered in thick greenery, the view was partially obscured. However, we still found an area just below the summit that was photo worthy. From that location, we had a good view of the West Philippine Sea, the entirety of Bataan, and its neighboring provinces. We stayed there for a couple minutes to take some photos.

It was late afternoon when we decided to make our descent. Prior to that, the other members of our group already made their way down. After rappelling and braving the forested part of the mountain, I began to feel exhaustion. By that time, I was already having second thoughts about joining the team to Pasukulan Falls. It was either I join them of simply wait for them at the base camp. Logic prevailed and I decided to go on towards the waterfalls despite of my lingering hesitation. I think that waiting alone at the base camp would be risky considering that it was already getting dark.

This ended up as a big mistake in my part. The trail to the waterfalls seemed to be as long as the trek to Natib’s summit. It also proved to be more perilous. The trail was narrow with a deep ravine off at one side. We did a lot of river crossing until we finally reached the waterfalls. But in making our way to the falls, we were compelled to make a steep descent. It was harder compared to the rappelling part of Natib. Here you have to go down amidst the steep slope of dust and rocks by holding on to vines in order to avoid slipping. One wrong move and you’ll find yourself rolling down the ravine. I did the descent by crawling, taking extra caution with every step.

We somehow managed to reach the waterfalls safely. I was fully exhausted and my legs were starting to ache so I decided to sit and rest. Others chose to swim in the cold water. Pasukulan Falls is a 50 meter high waterfall with a shallow basin. The towering walls of the falls are covered with shrubbery. Although it looked majestic and the place seemed calm and almost surreal, I personally think that the two hour trek was not worth it. There was nothing exceptional about the falls. But observably, the area around the falls is still free from overexposure to visitors and hikers. This was not a surprising fact when taking into account the challenging trek that we had to endure.

After less than an hour of staying at the falls, we decided to make our way back. We began our two hour journey back to camp. Halfway along the trek, the darkness became imminent. I began to struggle because of my poor eyesight, even in the presence of my headlamp, making my movements slower. Majority of the group were already exhausted but we had to go on and not be a burden to the rest of the group.

When we finally reached the base camp, I was already out of drinking water. It was getting late and the darkness was not helpful at all. I consoled myself with the reality that we were now trekking on safer ground. Aside from the rocky path and the occasional bush, it was a wide and mostly flat surface all the way to our destination.

I was quite relieved when we reached the view deck. I knew from that moment that we were near the jump-off point. We rested for a few minutes before ultimately going on with our journey. I continued walking. The darkness was alarming and I observed that my headlamp was starting to dim. Some of my groupmates caught up with me. I was exhausted but I refused to rest. I just wanted to go on and be done with it. I just wanted to reach the jump-off point, board the van and go home. I badly needed sleep and I longed for the comfort of my own bed.

My agony was resolved when we finally reached the jump-off point. We proceeded to the nearby store where most members of our group were staying. I immediately bought an ice cold soda to quench my thirst. After a short rest, I washed my face and changed clothes. I didn’t dare take a bath because I was too tired. The first van decided to go ahead of us since we were still waiting for some members of our group. At that moment, I realized that I was indeed a long night and it made my longing for home more apparent.

It was an hour before midnight and the store where we were staying at was about to close. Since everyone was ready and set to go, we decided to leave the place. It was already past midnight when we reached San Fernando, Pampanga. It was late and there were no available buses to take me back to Tarlac, so I was left with no choice but to leave with the group to Cubao. Sleepy, haggard, and all, I hurriedly boarded a bus plying my destination. I arrived home at five in the morning with only three hours to spare before I needed to get to work.

There is always a first time for everything, and my Natib experience was my first extended dayhike. The climb was surprisingly easy, even with the presence of five rope segments in the ascent to the summit. But that does not apply to the whole trek in general. The side trip to Pasukulan Falls is the exception. It was a gruesome experience, one that I do not wish to reminisce. The trek to the waterfalls proved to be much more tedious than that of the actual route to Natib’s summit. As if this was not enough, making our way back was much harder as we had to deal with the darkness which seemed to swallow the whole forest. I was totally drained of energy and enthusiasm on our way back to the jump-off point. It seemed that all hope was lost as I walked around aimlessly in the dead of the night. My mind seemed to have given up on me and my feet seemed to be moving on their own accord. Whatever happened that fateful night in Natib, I’m still glad that I managed to return to the trailhead safe and sound. And if ever I will come back to this mountain, I will surely avoid pursuing Pasukulan Falls for all the logical reasons.